Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Air Pollution

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government's proposals for a clean air strategy will include (a) a commitment not to exceed World Health Organisation recommended limits on particulate matter and (b) a target to reduce premature deaths caused by air pollution.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to include a commitment to reach World Health Organization limits on particulate matter in its new clean air strategy.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to include a target on decreasing premature deaths from air pollution in its new clean air strategy.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The evidence of health impacts from particulate matter (PM) is particularly strong and the Government is already taking action to reduce emissions of harmful PM. The UK has signed up to ambitious new targets to reduce emissions of PM2.5 as well as four other damaging pollutants (ammonia, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds and sulphur dioxide) by 2020 and 2030. The Government is aiming to cut early deaths from air pollution by half. The Statutory Instrument committing these targets to law was laid on 1 February.We will publish a Clean Air Strategy, which will set out plans to meet these targets, for consultation in 2018. We are currently calling for evidence on domestic solid fuel use, one of the largest emissions sources of PM. Householders and businesses are being asked for their views on proposals to cut harmful emissions caused by domestic fuel burning.Defra works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England to develop a strong evidence base on the health impacts of air pollution and to provide health advice during episodes of elevated air pollution. We are carefully considering public health measures.

Horse Riding

Dame Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects on the equestrian sector of the UK leaving the EU.

George Eustice: We are undertaking a comprehensive programme of analytical work looking at the implications of UK withdrawal from the EU. The Government is examining all areas of the UK economy and seeking input from a wide range of businesses and industry bodies in order to inform our negotiations with the EU. The Government’s priority for the equine sector in the context of leaving the EU, remains to ensure the continued movement of horses between the UK and EU, with the minimum of delay and bureaucracy, whilst at the same time providing appropriate disease control and welfare protection from Day 1 of EU Exit onwards. We have been working through a number of options in this area, considering a wide range of stakeholder views, and intend to embark on an extensive period of stakeholder engagement.